


a secret unraveled

by beware_of_you



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: 100 percent in need of an emotional support nerd like Reid, F/F, I'm fixing the show, It's Soft, Luke is a silent lesbian ally, Matt and Luke are just silently supportive of the gaystm, Penelope cries because why wouldn't she, Reidxjj FRIENDSHIP bc I miss it, Rossi's the ultimate team dadtm, Seriously Reid is a great best friend, Surprise Emily hates hospitals, Tara's p vocal about her support, but I wrote it anyway, emilyxjj rights!!!, his part is legit a crack fic, it's fluffy, its gay lads, its what they DESERVE, or really creative tbh, slightly au because fuck the canon, thank me for it later rly, this isn't necessarily good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:54:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22637119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beware_of_you/pseuds/beware_of_you
Summary: is this prompt really creative? not really. has it been done a lot? kinda, but I wrote it anyway! surprise, emily and jj are dating in secret and this story is basically how each member of the team finds out/how they react to finding out. it's cute and it's fluffy, and it's gay what more can i say
Relationships: Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss
Comments: 13
Kudos: 315





	1. Reid

**Author's Note:**

> i know it's not the best thing i've written but I tried god dammit give me support pls and thank u x
> 
> ((also all apologies for switching between first and last names throughout the writing process))

Her nails tap impatiently against the door frame, her gaze, unreadable, focuses straight ahead on the markers that the SUV passes by on the way to the hospital. Her blonde hair is still pulled up into a ponytail, vest still strapped on from their recent encounter with the unsub.

From the corner of his eye, Spencer tries to read what exactly is bothering his best friend. She's trying to hide her emotions, but he can tell something's wrong from the rapt, steady beat of her fingertips against the door. He can see her jaw clenched, her knuckles on her freehand white as it balls on her lap. She's been like this, in silence with an air of urgency about her, since they had cornered the latest unsub in a warehouse. Unfortunately, it had ended rather badly when he couldn't be talked down and had pulled out a pistol on them, firing wildly before JJ stopped him with a clean shot between his eyes.

Spencer thought that was what was bothering the blonde at first. After all, being forced to shoot someone never got easier in their line of work.

But then he distinctly remembers hearing the blonde's sharp intake of breath when Emily went down, how fast she dropped. (Honestly, he would have been scared too, and _was,_ until the injured woman started swearing and arguing tooth and nail with Rossi when had _insisted_ the unit chief get checked out at a hospital).

Considering how bad it could have been, Emily seemed fine when she left, none too pleased about having to be dragged to a hospital with Rossi riding in with her. Reid theorized himself that they were looking at nothing more than a couple of bruised ribs, nothing to really worry about and certainly not the worst thing that Emily had faced.

Yet, JJ insisted after Matt and Luke left to go back to the station, and Tara followed the ambulance to pick up the agents, that Spencer needed to drive her to the hospital. With the urgency in her tone and the look on her face, her pleading eyes and the use of his nickname, the man had been unable to deny the request. It was rare to see JJ that vulnerable anymore, with her emotions so out in the open, and it's worrying him.

Several miles back, he tries to start conversation, more specifically, a conversation about the effectiveness of the vests they wore but JJ hadn't responded or acted any less concerned, so he stopped talking.

His eyes flit over towards her once more, frowning slightly. He just wants to know why JJ seems so worried so that he can help her. He hates seeing her like this, even more so when he feels there's nothing he can do.

He has several hypothesizes as to why the woman beside him is so upset by the time he pulls into the hospital lot, but only gets thrown off when JJ practically shoves the gun into the locked glove compartment and briskly exits the vehicle. He fumbles with his own gun and shoves it in the same space, stumbling to catching up to JJ.

The blonde makes her way through the double, automatic doors of the emergency room and to the front desk hastily. "A federal agent came in an ambulance about ten minutes ago, Emily Prentiss?" she asks the woman working the desk quietly.

Reid stand back a few feet, watching the woman carefully, catches the slight crack to her voice when she speaks Emily's name.

"Yes, room 16," the woman informs JJ with a kind, comforting smile.

Reid hears the blonde inhale sharply. "Is she okay?"

The woman behind the desk looks amused. "Very okay. Not too happy about being here, but she's okay."

JJ visibly relaxes at this news, a small smile coming to her lips at the news. "Yeah, sounds like her," she says quietly, lightly as she lets out another sigh of relief.

"You two are more than welcome to head back there," the woman offers, lifting her head to smile at Reid.

"Thank you," the man replies a bit more calmly as the blonde swiftly thanks the woman and heads towards the rooms.

The woman gives the man a look he can't quite decipher yet, but doesn't think on it too much as he follows JJ.

He almost runs into her as she suddenly freezes in the hallway, spotting Rossi and Lewis outside a room.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Tara asks curiously. "We thought you guys would have headed back with Alvez and Simmons to the station?"

"They had it handled," JJ lies smoothly, all the tension and strain gone from her body. It's like Reid is looking at a completely different person than the passenger he had no less than five minutes ago. "We wanted to give you guys a breather from Prentiss," she jokes easily, jabbing her thumb towards the room playfully.

"Nonsense, she's been a real peach we've got here," David mumbles with a scowl; judging from his demeanor, Reid guesses he's had a real fun time dealing with an injured and annoyed Emily Prentiss in the ambulance.

He's only glad he didn't volunteer to ride in with the unit chief.

Lewis purses her lips to hold back a laugh at Rossi's expense, turning towards the youngest members of the team. "You sure you got her?"

JJ nods with a reassuring smile. "Yeah, you two go ahead."

Reid pauses, opening his mouth to say something like, "I actually value my life," or ask if he can come with the two based on their reactions alone, but one look to his best friend and he knows he can't leave her like this. She needs his support right now.

Biting down all his protests, he smiles, "Yeah, go on."

The older agents leave down the hall, JJ watching them like a hawk until they round the corner. The mask she's put on for those few seconds seems to slip away as she goes into the hospital room, Reid following behind with his thoughts racing a mile a minute.

"JJ!" Emily exclaims from the bed, ignoring the doctor at her bedside, who has his best "customer service" smile on but Reid can tell by just looking at him that he's at his wits end with the agent. "Spence? What are you doing here?"

"We're here to relieve Tara and Rossi of their duties," he jokes, standing by the door.

The doctor turns to JJ, clipboard in hand as he starts, "There's not too much wrong here, honestly. The bullet left one nasty bruise at her side, but it didn't even manage to crack, let alone break, anything. She might have a mild concussion from the fall, but other than that, you guys can get out of here soon," he tells the two other agents. "We'll get you a wheelchair and then you can go. Just make sure she takes it easy for a few days."

"I'm fine, really! I don't need-" Emily protests from the bed, but falls silent from one look at JJ.

"Thank you," the blonde tells the doctor. "Really."

The man nods before exiting the room.

"Guys, really, I don't need any-" Emily starts again, cutting herself off with a painful inhale as she swings her legs over the side of the bed.

"Em, please," JJ murmurs, eyes shining with worry. Her arms are folded across her chest, but her expression is filled with concern. "Just until we get to the door?"

Emily is silenced once more, gaze softening as she looks over at the blonde. With a nod, she sits back in the bed and waits for the wheelchair.

It hits Reid at that moment, all at once like a ton of bricks. His eyes widen slightly as they flick back and forth between the women quickly, stopping before they notice.

He, too, is silent until the wheelchair arrives for Emily.

  
———

  
"You could have told me," he starts off a half hour later into the hour and a half drive back to the prescient with him at the driver's seat, JJ in the passenger's, and Emily in the back, head resting on the window with her eyes closed and noise canceling headphones over her ears.

"Told you what?" JJ deflects, breaking her eyes from Emily in the middle mirror, to look over at him with an unreadable expression.

"About you and Emily," Spencer says, glancing over at JJ with an expectant look before he focuses back on the road.

When she doesn't answer, he begins to explain. "At first, I thought it was because of what happened with the unsub, but you kept worrying about Emily and then we showed up at the hospital, I only got more confused. But when you told her to get in the wheelchair, I figured it out."

"The wheelchair?" JJ repeats, looking confused.

Reid smirks a bit. "JJ, if any one else told her to sit in that wheelchair, we'd probably still be back in the emergency room arguing over it, Either you must be really scary when you're determined, which you _can be_ , or you care a lot about each other."

The blonde, unable to stop herself, chuckles breathlessly at his logic, but makes no attempt to deny it. She sighs gently, her eyes flitting back to the mirror, staring at her girlfriend worriedly. "I don't know what went through my head. I just... I saw her drop and thought—" she stops, swallowing hard.

"Love," Spencer starts, then clears his throat. "Love makes people do and think crazy things sometimes. It doesn't have to make sense, or have any reason behind it, but that's what happens when you care for someone."

"I thought I lost her," JJ admits quietly.

"She's okay," Spencer comforts his friend, giving her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "How long have you two been...?"

"Just over a year," the blonde breathes out, now glancing back at the woman in the mirror with adoration.

The man looks impressed to hear this, that they hid something this big from a group of profilers for so long. "I'm happy for you two," he ends up saying honestly, instead of commenting on that. Besides, he's never been one to get into the personal lives of his friends like that.

"Reid's right; you can get a lot scarier," Emily says from the backseat with a light smile.

The two people upfront glance back at the woman with surprised expressions. The unit chief just shrugs, handing the headphones up to JJ. "Things work for shit on their own," she explains, giving the blonde's shoulder a firm, reassuring squeeze.

"At least Henry likes them," the blonde mumbles to herself, putting the headphones away.

"How you feeling?" Spencer asks, pulling off the highway as he heads towards the station.

"Like I got shot," she quips back lightly, giving JJ's shoulder another squeeze,   
"Jayje, I'm okay, I promise. Just a bit sore is all."

The blonde relaxes under her lover's touch, reaching behind her and giving the older woman's hand a squeeze. "I know, I know. It just scared me a bit."

"You don't expect to get rid of me that easy, do you?," Emily teases, letting go of JJ's hand as they pull into the station. "Hey, Spencer?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you keep this between us three? What you know about us?" JJ asks softly.

"We're going to tell the team. Eventually," Emily promises. "We just... don't want to jinx anything."

"Hey, really it's none of my business if you guys tell or not," Spencer says, holding his hands up in a playful gesture of mock surrender. "Really, your secret's safe with me," he promises more genuinely, flashing them a smile.

"If anyone asks, I'll let them know you were a pain in the ass the whole way here," he jokes, throwing his bag over his shoulder as he hops from the SUV.

JJ snickers as Emily's eyes narrow in the backseat, "Okay, boy wonder, and if another stack of papers just so happens to appear on your desk on Monday, I had nothing to do with it."


	2. Rossi

She smiles over her glass as she observes her team on the jet, all calm, collected, and relatively at peace with the way the latest case turned out. It was a rare instance where the case had ended okay, all things considered. It was a kidnapping case in which a lot of the victims were returned to their families unharmed and the unsub apprehended without much of a struggle. No one had to even fire their weapon.

It was a cause for celebration, as Rossi had claimed, pulling part of his own personal alcohol from the kitchenette on the jet; a bottle of white wine that probably cost more than the rent of Emily's first apartment (that in itself said something) and a bottle of scotch that cost probably just as much, encouraging everyone to get a glass of one or the other.

In the seats with a Kindle and headphones plugged into it, Tara sits with a glass of the wine. Matt, Spencer, JJ and Luke all sit at the table on the far side of the jet playing a game of poker, Spencer the only one with a small glass of wine, the others opting for the scotch for a change. It's amusing, Prentiss thinks, that they've decided to all play poker with a Las Vegas native and a certified genius. But they all seem to be having a good time, laughing amongst themselves at the game progresses. Eventually, Tara gets up and joins in the game, pointing at Reid warningly as she sits down, causing another laugh to go through the group.

Emily sits at the opposite end of the jet with a glass in her hand, sipping scotch from it as she allows herself to unwind from a rare case with a good ending.

"Everyone did good today," Dave comments, raising his own glass to the unit chief as a form of congratulations. "You've really come into your own as unit chief."

"Thanks, Dave," Emily replies softly, but genuinely, shaking her head with a smile as she takes in her team. "God, how often is it that we have a case that ends like this?"

"Not often enough," Rossi agrees. He turns to the large group, nodding slightly to JJ. "She's come a long way. She's great in the field and an amazing profiler. She was made for this job."

"She's a natural," Emily easily agrees, polishing off her glass, smiling to herself as JJ goes back into concentration mode, her expression going blank and posture not giving anything away. Her composure breaks when Luke pretends to look over at her cards, a huge smile breaking out on her face as she playfully slaps at the man.

Rossi smirks at this, as if the woman just answered a huge question for him.

"What?" she asks, perplexed, focusing back on the senior member of the team.

"Affection. I know it anywhere," the man points out, nodding to the unit chief with a knowing smile. "It's a hard emotion to fake genuinely."

Emily's eyes narrow slight as she stares at the older man, swearing under her breath. Leave it to David Rossi to read her like an open book (of course, she thinks, it doesn't help that she let her resolve slip for just a moment, just enough for him to catch on).

"I always knew they was something going on with you two. My thinking isn't backwards despite being an old geezer," the older man says, taking another sip from his glass. "There's just some things I'm really good at picking up on."

"I should have given you more hell that day in the ambulance," Emily mumbles grouchily, pouring herself another glass.

"Don't get mad just because I'm really good at my job," Dave teases, leaning back in his chair. "Are you going to tell me or do I have to guess?"

Emily stubbornly swirls the ball of ice around the glass slowly, stalling for a few more seconds. She knows that whatever she tells him will ultimately stay between the two of them, that he won't tell anyone. With this reassurance, she stalls a few more seconds before, "Just after Michael was born," she admits quietly. "She separated from Will a few months into her pregnancy, but that's not my story to tell," she adds, taking a sip from the glass.

"We always had..." she stops, backtracking. "Like you said, was always something there between us, but Will was always safer, and I was scared of ruining her. Then life happened, as it always does. Doyle happened, she went overseas and came back, I went overseas and came back and it never really felt like the right time. I couldn't do that to Will, to her."

"What changed?" Rossi asks curiously, eyebrow raising slightly at the timeline, at how long he theorized the two were together.

"I decided that I wasn't afraid anymore," Emily admits with a light smile. "Things ended mutually with her and Will, so I decided to be selfish and take a chance."

"And how's it paid off?" Rossi asks with a twinkle in his eye, smile light and comforting.

"Eighteen months of coming home to her and her two adorable little boys, of their love and acceptance, of a domestic home life I never thought I'd get. I think I've been happier the past year and a half than I've ever been," she admits softly, nodding down at her glass. "It's worked out pretty well, I'd say."

"You deserve that, Emily," Dave assures her. "We all deserve to find someone. It only happens once."

"Or, in your case, three," Emily teases lightly, grinning when he scowls.

"Yeah, yeah, me and my six hundred marriages," he mocks her with a chuckle. "I'm serious, though, I'm happy for you both. You deserve it after everything you've gone through."

"Makes it all worth it," she admits, then thinks. "Well, almost. I could do without Scratch happening, if I had to do it over again," she says, expression faltering for a second before she smiles softly again. "But everything else was worth it."

"How are the boys handling it?" the older man asks, immediately changing the subject. Scratch was still a sore subject for everyone and Rossi thinks it's best not to dwell too much on the dead psychopath that put the team through so much hell.

"A lot better," Emily admits. "It was rough, especially on Henry in the beginning, because Will wasn't around as much. But I stuck around, waited until he was ready for someone new in his mom's life, and it's been going great from there." She stops again and smiles fondly. "Michael even calls me Emmy."

The liquid in her glass isn't as strong, watered down by the ice as she takes a sip. "She's a good mom and Will's a good dad, and I don't want to replace either of them in the boys life, but I do help her coparent when they're at her house. I treat those boys like they're my own," she confesses.

"It sounds like you've built a great life for yourself, Emily," Rossi congratulates with a warm smile, raising his glass.

Sparing one more look over towards JJ, Emily looks back at the older man with a genuine smile, raising her own glass and gently clinking it with his. "Yeah, I guess I did."


	3. Garcia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> her reaction is all of us tbh

The steady resounding clicks of her heels against the linoleum floor give Penelope Garcia an extra sense of what she can only describe as "bad assery" and sass as she enters the main office full of cubicles. It's early in the morning, even for the shift at the BAU, but she _knows_ for a fact that the persons she's looking for are here.

Pushing her glasses up on her nose, her eyes narrow as she scans the room, landing on JJ, who was over at the coffee pot, from the doorway. Glancing over at her best friend, JJ lifts her hand and offers a smile. "Morning, Pen!"

Narrowing her eyes further, Penelope points accusingly back at the blonde. "You, missy, are in so much trouble," she states

The slightly older agent looks startled at the technical analyst's words. "What? Why?"

"Oh, you do not get to play all innocent with me, Agent Jareau!" the colorful woman exclaims. "Deflection won't work on me for this!"

"Garcia, I have no idea what you're talking about!" JJ says with slightly widened eyes, holding her hands up defensively. "You're not making any sense, Penelope."

Marching over and gently grabbing the other blonde by the wrist, Garcia drags her up to the unit chief's office. "Wait, my coffee!" JJ protests, trying (and failing) to stop Garcia in her tracks. "If I don't get any, Luke takes it all!"

It doesn't deter the other woman any.

After a few more feeble protests, the older blonde relents, puzzled at their course of direction. "Wait, why are we going to Emily's office?"

"Because she's in just as much trouble as you!" Garcia huffs, pulling her in the office and crossing her arms across her chest, glaring at the blonde.

JJ stands in the middle of the room, racking her brain for the reason Penelope was so mad, but drawing blanks for each reason she lists. "Sorry for not making it to the last girl's night out...?" she guesses hopefully, peering around her friend to the coffee pot and watching out for Luke before turning to Penelope with an innocent, apologetic smile.

"My darling little godson was sick," Garcia waves her off quickly, eyes softening. "You had to do what you had to do." She stops, narrowing her eyes at her friend again. "Don't change the subject, Jay!"

The sound of a throat clearing has them both turning to face the door where Emily stands with two mugs of coffee and a confused expression. "Good morning, Garcia, JJ," she starts out carefully, handing a mug over to the older blonde before going behind the safety of her desk. One look at the technical analyst and Emily knows that she's in for it, whatever she did. She shoots JJ a look and gets a helpless shrug in return. "Is there any reason you two are fighting in my office?"

"We're not fighting, I'm apparently in trouble," JJ corrects in a mumble, shoulders relaxing as she sips from the mug of coffee. "I was cornered and dragged here before you came in." Both women then turn to Garcia, who folds her arms across her chest with a frown.

"How long have you two been secret sapphic sweethearts?" she asks bluntly with another small huff. "And don't try to deny it either," she adds in quickly as they both begin to protest. "Your _other_ equally as precious baby boy, Michael, told me so!"

Emily turns to JJ, who looks back at her girlfriend equally as surprised. "What did he say?" she asks.

"He asked me yesterday why I didn't sleepover at your house all the time like Emily does," Penelope responds, arms dropping from her chest. "Either you two have been having girl's nights without me and Tara, _which would be very, very mean,_ or, my sweets, you two are lovers. And since I'm not hearing any denial, I'm going with the second option."

She looks a bit saddened now, pouting slightly at the women, who are still stunned into silence. "You guys could have told me."

Emily opens her mouth to comfort her friend, eyes softening at the tone of her voice. Penelope's genuinely upset about this, about having to find out about them through one of JJ's children instead of from them. It's justifiable, in a way, the unit chief figures. Garcia had been rooting for them since day one, silently but relentlessly hoping that the two would some day end up together. "Pen..."

"How long?"

"Two years," Emily admits sheepishly, quietly.

"Two years?"

"We're sorry," JJ ends up saying genuinely, reaching over and giving her best friend a hug. "Really, Penelope, we are. We were going to tell you first, we swear."

"Things just got in the way," Emily butts in.

"Spence and Rossi figured us out first," JJ elaborates with a sheepish look as Penelope exclaims, "I was the third to know?"

"We're sorry!"

Garcia looks between the two women, her resolve breaking as she sees the genuine apologetic looks on her friend's faces. She sighs, pouting a bit, "Oh, I can't stay mad at you two and you know it!" she says, giving JJ a squeeze back before going over and giving Emily a tight hug. "Do I at least know before the newbie?" she asks softly.

JJ chuckles and a smile breaks out on the unit chief's face. "Yes, as far as I'm aware, Luke doesn't know. Neither do Tara or Matt," Emily tells the technical analyst, slinking back into her chair.

"We were going to tell them," JJ says, taking a seat on the corner of Emily's desk. "But everyone keeps figuring it out and we want to see how it all just plays out from here," she adds.

"But we swear we were going to tell you!" Emily assures Garcia quickly. "You were going to be the first person we told before Reid and Rossi decided to play detective."

"Oh, I don't even care about all that anymore!" the technical analyst admits with tears in her eyes. "My angels are in love!" She waves her hands in front of her face to dry her tears. "I knew it would happen, oh! Derek Morgan so owes me that $50!"

"Garcia..." Emily chuckles from her desk, watching the younger woman go on with an amused smile on her face.

"I am so officiating your wedding," Penelope sniffs out. "You have no choice in the matter, for not telling me sooner!"

JJ laughs. "Garcia, are you even legally allowed to officiate weddings?" she asks with a playful smile.

"Oh my sweet, darling Jennifer, all it took was a fifteen minute certification class and $45 dollars and I became a legally ordained minister in Virginia," Garcia says proudly,producing the card from her wallet with a grin. "Just say the word, darling, and I'll pronounce you Mrs. and Mrs. Jareau!"

"Wait, why do I take Jen's last name?" Emily asks innocently, quickly adding, "Not that I mind that!", when JJ shoots her a playful glare and swats at her.

"Because, Princess, we all know JJ wears the pants in any relationship," Penelope states with a smug smile, both blondes bursting out in laughter when Emily scowls.

"Way to have my back, Jayje," she grumbles playfully, flipping both blondes off.

"Sorry, babe, but the truth hurts," the older blonde says with a playful smirk.

"Oh, you guys have to tell me everything, spare me none of the details!" Penelope begs. "I need to know the full love story!"

"The boys are at Will's this week. Girl's night at my house. You and Tara can come over and we'll tell you everything when she leaves," JJ promises.

"And I'll bring the alcohol to make up for not telling you," Emily adds in.

Garcia eagerly agrees, giving each woman another tight hug before she heads back to her office with a bit more excitement and happiness in her step.

"She really has everything planned out, doesn't she?" the unit chief asks in amusement.

"She always has," JJ says with a chuckle, reaching across Emily's desk and squeezing her hand. "So, you're not too fond of becoming a Jareau, are you?" she teases.

"That's not what I meant!" Emily protests lightly, giving her girlfriend's hand a squeeze. "And you know it. If and when we get married, I don't care if I take your name or you take mine, I would just want to be legally allowed to call you my wife."

The blonde smiles warmly, lacing their fingers together. "Yeah, I would too," she admits easily.

"I love you," Emily reminds her quietly.

"I love you too," JJ responds just as softly, leaning over and giving her a quick, yet passionate kiss. "I better get out there," she says with a gentle sigh, pulling her hand away from the unit chief's. "We both have a lot of paperwork to do."

Emily groans and leans back in her chair with a frown. "Don't remind me," she mutters, glaring at the stacks of papers on her own desk, hoping that by some act of God they catch on fire or disappear from existence.

"Have fun," JJ teases as she hops off Emily's desk and heads for the door. She dodges out of the way of a flying paper ball aimed at her with a laugh. "Love you, mean it!" she calls out, picking up the paper and sinking it into the trashcan by Emily's desk with a smirk.

The unit chief scowls, but the smile remains on her face as she shakes her head before immersing herself in the paperwork that needs done for the day.


	4. Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> drunk emily loves and demands cuddles change my mind

The lights of this particular bar are dim and cast an almost eerie orange glow around the room. Various smokes around the room from cigarettes and vapes mingle together into one slightly unpleasant fog that smells like a mix of tobacco and cotton candy. It's not usually a place the BAU team finds themselves hanging out at often, but it's familiar to most of them as their main hangout back in the day, and they find themselves drawn to it purely for the nostalgia factor.

Of course, the alcohol they get on either Rossi's or Emily's dime helps too.

Matt doesn't normally find himself staying too long on the nights when the team all go out to this club; often he is one of the first, if not the first, to call it quits for the night and head home.

But tonight is different. Tonight, he's determined to stay behind to observe his unit chief and a particular blonde former media liaison turned profiler closely. He's been watching the two women for a while, silently noting how they behave around each other, becoming aware just how close the two are with each other.

(Honestly, he never usually thinks of things like this— it's never his business and he doesn't like to pry. But he finds himself curious, unable to shake the feeling something is going on between the two women and just wants to confirm it, or not confirm it, to himself and leave it alone).

So he stays by and watches silently nodding along to Reid's excitable conversation about the recent image that surfaced and went viral on the internet of a blackhole.

"It's incredible, really," Spencer continues on eagerly. "It's not the clearest shot in the world, but it's the most scientific breakthrough for space that's happened since the discovery of water molecules on Mars!"

"You notice anything going on with those two?" Matt suddenly asks, nodding towards the women, who are standing at the pool table, JJ playing a game against Luke while Emily watches on with a smile.

Spencer whips his head around to glance at the two, turning back to Simmons with an innocent shrug. "No, why?"

"They've gotten closer over the past few months," Matt says. "Not saying anything, just curious," he adds.

"They've always been close," Reid explains softly. "JJ helped Emily when she faked her death, Emily helped JJ when she went through everything with Askari and Hastings... In a way, they've both been around for each other during their hardest moments."

Matt nods at this, humming slightly to himself as he sips at his beer, as he takes in this information. 

The team soon begins to disperse, Tara leaving first with Rossi following close behind, becoming the designated driver to get Penelope home, Luke leaving an hour later and Reid finally calling it quits, leaving just before eleven. Matt sits alone at the large table, wondering if he should just say to hell with his curiosity and go home until he hears his name being called.

"Simmons!"

Turning around to face his unit chief, he sees the blonde holding a pool stick and Emily looking at him expectantly. "You okay? You need a ride home?" the brunette asks, looking concerned at her teammate.

"I'm good to drive" he calls back, standing up and walking over to the two. "I might head out soon, though."

"Why don't you stay for a game of pool?" JJ asks, nodding towards the table.

Emily gently nudges the man's side, loudly whispering, "I wouldn't trust her, Matt. She's been kicking everyone's ass all night."

"I stayed at my grandparents a lot growing up," the blonde explains with a smirk. "They had a pool table, I had a lot of time. It just comes naturally."

"I did play a lot of pool in college," Matt admits. "My free time was spent at the union's game room. I won a lot of bets like that— enough to pay for several of my textbooks."

"So, you'll play?" JJ asks, smirking slightly. "Unless you're scared like Prentiss here..."

Emily rolls her eyes at the banter. "I'm not scared, I just can't play pool."

Matt looks between the two women and shrugs with a smile, "Sure, I'll play. Why the hell not, right?"

"Prepare to get your ass handed to you, Simmons," JJ teases, racking the colorful orbs into the wooden triangle and positioning them on the table with practiced ease.

"Wouldn't count on that, Jareau," he quips back with a grin, taking a stick off the far wall and dusting the top with the square chalk from the top shelf.

"First shot's all yours," the blonde tells the man, carefully removing the triangle before she steps away and nurses on her own beer.

Matt goes over to the top of the table and glances it over quickly. Taking a breath, he gestures to the all purple number 4 ball with his stick, drawing a line to the right side pocket before he takes steady aim and cracks apart the formation with a firm strike on the yellow number one ball.

The colorful balls scatter all over the table, but the one ball Matt cares about, the one shot he had called, happens as the solid purple 4 ball sinks swiftly into the side pocket. He turns back to JJ who stares at the table with a surprised look, with a smug smile. "I got solids," he calls out as Emily laughs at the look on the blonde's face.

"Oh, it is so on," she murmurs, eyes narrowing in determination.

As the intense game progresses, both agents are making the shots they call, gathering somewhat of a small crowd that watch the game with almost genuine fascination.

The ease of the atmosphere, along as the influence of the alcohol coursing through their system allow the two women's guards to drop slightly. If Matt wasn't so immersed in the game at hand, he would have commented on the way Emily has her hand resting supportively at JJ's lower back, or the way the younger blonde turns proudly towards the unit chief when she makes a particularly tough shot.

The black 8 ball still remains on the table, JJ just having missed a rather risky shot of bouncing the cue ball off the back wall and hitting the 8 into the near left corner pocket. The cue ball rolls to a stop just in the middle of the table, with the black 8 resting just shy of the pocket the blonde was aiming for.

Matt walks around the table to observe his options. He couldn't take the same shot as JJ did; the ball was positioned too awkwardly. He could go for the right side pocket, but the wall of the bar would have him holding the stick at a near 80 degree angle and would surely scratch up the table. His only option, it seems, is to bank the cue ball from the corner wall, off the back wall, and hope by the grace of every divine being that the cue ball hits the eight _just_ enough to sink it into the closer lower left pocket.

Breathing out with a nod, he taps the pocket and stands up straight.

"No way in hell you're making that," JJ says in disbelief, arms folded across her chest. "You'd have to bank it, like, at least four times in order to make that shot."

"Actually, two," Matt corrects with a smug smile as he rubs the chalk on the cloth at the end of the stick.

The blonde scoffs, much to Emily's amusement. "Okay, _Reid_ ," she says sarcastically. "How about a little bet to raise the stakes? You make the shot, I buy the next round of drinks and vice versa?"

"Go easy on him, tiger," the unit chief jokes, gently wrapping an arm around the blonde's waist, the alcohol in her system lowering her inhibitions, her walls. "I can't have you taking out one of my best field agents."

"Can't have you take out one of my best field agents," the blonde mocks childishly, elbowing Emily's side.

Matt chuckles at the two, shaking his head at their antics. "Yeah, you got a deal," he promises, lining up to take his shot. The crowd around the table goes silent, the resounding _twack_ as the ball and stick connect echoes throughout the tiny space. He holds his breath and watches as the white ball ricochets from the side wall and shoots towards the back, finally homing in on the path towards the 8. He starts feeling a bit nervous when the ball starts to slow, but realizes that it doesn't matter when the cue ball hits the corner of the 8 and sinks it into the lower left pocket.

"Well that was a crock of shit," JJ deadpans, folding her arms across her chest as she looks up towards Matt, shooting him an impressed smile. "Good game, Simmons. Whatever you want, it's on me."

Instead of accepting the blonde's offer he shakes his head, gesturing towards the door with his thumb. "Nah, it's okay. I think I'm going to head home, if it's okay with you guys."

"You sure?" the blonde asks.

"You still okay to drive?" Emily adds in.

Matt nods with a smile. "Yeah, I'm good, promise."

"I got the first round of drinks next time," JJ assures with a nod. "Drive safe, okay?"

"I'll hold you to that, JJ," Simmons teases, setting the stick back up on the holder with a small wave. "You two get home safely and enjoy the rest of your evening!"

"You do the same, Matt!" Emily calls back as he heads back to the table for his jacket. "See you on Monday!"

Offering the two women one last final wave, Matt finally turns all the way around and focuses on the table, grabbing his jacket and putting it on. As he heads towards the door, he glances back at the two women, just managing to catch Emily plant a kiss on JJ's cheek.

He gently smirks to himself with a nod.

Yeah, something was definitely going on between those two. What that something was, again, was none of his business. But it did feel nice to confirm his suspicions, he thinks to himself as he exits the bar.

"He knows," JJ tells her girlfriend, swaying gently in her arms.

"Oh, for sure," Emily agrees. "I'm a little more than slightly intoxicated and couldn't keep my hands off of you."

The blonde smirks, gently placing a kiss on the older woman's jawline. "Yeah, I could tell," she teases. "Should we let Tara and Luke in on us too or wait it out just a bit longer?"

"Let 'em figure it out," the brunette murmurs, placing a series of kisses against JJ's neck. "I wanna see who figures it out last."

"We both know that it'll be Luke."

"I know, but still."

JJ chuckles softly, giving Emily's arms a gentle squeeze. "Come on, let's get home, Drunky."

Emily pouts slightly at the nickname. "I'm only _mildly_ intoxicated," she corrects with a mumble, almost immediately smiling when the blonde plants a full kiss on her lips. "Okay, I might be a little bit drunk," she admits, grin only widening when JJ giggles in response to her answer.

"Hey, Jayje? Can we cuddle when we get home?"

"Anything you want, baby."


	5. Lewis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> at this point the only thing emily doesn't hate is her job, her team and jj to be honest

Emily Prentiss will be the first member of the team to admit that she doesn't like parties, much less formal parties. They're all too reminiscent of the events that her mother would drag her to as a child, insisting that it was important for an 8 year old to build up good relationships and make good impressions on the government officials and ambassadors from overseas.

(Exactly what kind of rapports an elementary aged child was supposed to build with the Governor of France or Congressman Robert whats-his-face, she still doesn't know.)

These parties left Emily without much of a childhood, a bunch of meaningless "relationships" with people twice her age, and the ability to properly greet a roomful of strangers with practiced ease: a smile that could only be described as fake, a formal introduction that includes her name and her mother's status that ends with a firm handshake.

Considering how bad it could have been (and she would like to think that she _knows_ bad), Emily doesn't really think this particular gathering that the Bureau is hosting is that bad. The hotel hosting the event is nice and formal, has a fountain in the center of the main dining hall with a man playing a piano on a platform in the center, the colorful yellow, blue and white lights bouncing off the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, illuminating everyone in a cool, blue glow that adds to the calm atmosphere.

Honestly, the music the man is playing isn't too bad, the decorations are classy, yet subtle, and the wine that's being given out for free all night is decent. What's most important and the only thing that really matters to the unit chief however, is that her team is having _fun._ Rossi has Luke, Tara and Penelope around him, judging from their expression, he's recalling a hilarious tale from either his early days in the unit or from his many book tours, Matt and his wife are by the fountain, keeping to themselves but looking rather content to be spending the time away from the kids, and Spencer and JJ are on the makeshift dance floor, the man's movements clumsy and awkward as the blonde teaches him how to waltz with an amused smile.

The unit chief looks over the group with a soft, warm smile. It's really not often at all she sees everyone like this, with their guards down and having a good time, especially since the past few weeks had been some of the worst for everyone. They deserve to relax for the night, she thinks. If there was anyone that deserved a break like this, it was the seven people that make up her team.

"You gonna stay here in the corner all night, or you gonna come over here and socialize?"

Turning to Tara with a slight smirk, Emily shrugs as she takes a sip from her wine. "Parties like this really aren't my thing," she admits. "Reminds me too much of my childhood."

Tara shakes her head, chuckling at the comment. "Okay then, that's entirely fair. Would you at least care for company?"

The unit chief nods slightly, leaning back against the wall as Tara joined her, only _slightly_ jumping from the coolness of the wall hits the open back of her dress. "It's not that bad is it?" Tara asks, turning curiously to the unit chief.

"I've been to worse. The wine helps," Emily says with another light smirk, swirling the alcohol in her glass gently.

Lewis raises her own glass, murmuring, "Here, here," before taking a sip of her own. "You know, we more than deserve this after the weeks of hell Barnes put us through."

"You're telling me, I'm still traumatized from the time at the local PD," Emily jokes with an exaggerated shiver.

"I can so do without going back as a couple's counselor for the Bureau," Tara says, looking a bit more earnest. "What? I'm serious. I think I rather deal with a thousand crazed killers than try to solve another petty quarrel between Linda from Accounting and Jerry from Counter Terrorism."

The unit chief laughs at this, playfully elbowing the other woman in the side. "Glad to know you're sticking around for the long run, Doctor Tara Lewis."

"Happy to be back, Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss," Tara quips back with just of much of a teasing tone as the unit chief used.

A comfortable silence falls between the two as their laughter dies down, both quietly people watching for a few moments. Without really thinking of it, and almost automatically, Emily's gazes falls on JJ, as it normally does. Under this ambient light and in a modest yet form fitting red dress, her piercing blue eyes stand out even more than they normally do. Her smiles are genuine, and she looks completely at ease, the stresses Linda Barnes had put on her long gone.

"She looks beautiful tonight, doesn't she?" Tara asks Emily, a knowing smirk on her face.

The unit chief nods slightly, ignoring the gesture. "She really does deserve this. Barnes really put her through it the past few days."

"And you put her in her place," Tara points out, her smirk now one of amusement as she recalls the look on the woman's face when the unit chief told the Senator about Barnes crossing the line and abusing her power by releasing JJ of her duties.

Emily shrugs, eyes flashing with determination as she folds her arms across her chest. "No one messes with my team and gets away scot free."

Tara gently pats her on the shoulder. "And boy, aren't we all glad for that?" she says approvingly. "I know you like to have this unbreakable composure about you and that you do a scary good job of acting like things don't bother you like Hotch did, but you're allowed to enjoy your night too," Lewis adds, looking over at the other woman. "Just because you're our unit chief doesn't mean you have to be stoic 24/7; you're allowed to enjoy things. You deserve this break just as much as the rest of us."

As Emily opens her mouth to protest, to insist that she's enjoying herself, Tara cuts her off with a chuckle. "Go out there and dance with JJ. Let loose and have a good time with your girl."

This stuns the unit chief into silence, staring at Tara with an eyebrow raised, mouth slightly open in shock.

Tara shrugs with a gentle smirk. "I've known for over a year now, Em. It was kind of obvious. The team hasn't run any differently since you two have been together, Barnes won't touch the unit with a 50 foot pole after the chewing out she got from the Senator, and you know we all would have your backs, so what do you have to be afraid of?"

The unit chief's mouth falls shut as she glances over at JJ and Reid once more, seeming to be having the internal struggle of should she or should she not.

Tara gently gives her a nudge in the side with her elbow. "Go. Give Reid a break before the poor boy trips over her heels again," she says teasingly, giving Emily an encouraging smile.

The unit chief inhales, smiling softly over at Lewis with a thankful nod. She polishes off her wine, pushing herself off the wall, and making her way to the dance floor. Gently tapping Reid on the shoulder, her smile grows a bit more when she feels JJ's gaze fall on her. "Hey, mind if I get the next dance?"

"You can have this one," Spencer tells Emily with a knowing smile, passing off his best friend to her and shooting both women a wide smile before he heads towards the rest of the team.

"I was wondering when you'd come over," the blonde teases, one arm falling around the older woman's waist and her other hand tangling with Emily's. The brunette mirrors her posture, gently tapping the back of the blonde's right shoulder to let her know what foot to start on.

With a soft smile and a shrug, Emily twines their fingers of their linked hands together, "Well, Tara gave me a bit of a push. I take it Reid wasn't the best dance partner?"

JJ laughs softly, sighing out dramatically, "He tried, he really did. He got the moves right, but the poor man has the grace of a baby giraffe."

Both women laugh quietly to themselves, Emily gently leading them into a soft, slow spin.

"Tara knows then?" JJ asks curiously.

"She's known for a while," the brunette recalls with a chuckle. "I guess we're just really bad at hiding it."

"We used to hide it well," the blonde points out, now just aimlessly swaying to the beat of the music with her girlfriend. "Though, I'm glad we don't have to hide it anymore."

"Why's that?" Emily asks with a smile.

"Because I get to do this whenever I want," JJ simply states, pulling the older woman in for a kiss before she's asked to elaborate on her response.

"Mm, thought you'd say something like that," the unit chief mumbles against her lips, breaking apart the kiss when they both grin.

"They're so _cute!_ " Penelope cries out softly from the group, whose attention had been drawn from Rossi's to the couple. Matt, who had joined the group along with his wife, shakes his head with a smile as he places a comforting hand on the technical analyst's shoulder.

"We told Derek it would happen," Spencer says with a smirk that only widens when Garcia eagerly nods at his comment.

"About time they come clean about it," Tara says with an exaggerated, playful eye roll as she nudges Rossi.

Luke looks at the group with a deep, confused frown. "What happened?"

"JJ and Emily..." Matt points out, his own confusion coming through as he points out the obvious to his teammate.

"Haven't they always been together?" Luke asks, not looking any less confused as he looks between everyone.

The group falls silent at this, looking at each other with confused and slightly shocked expressions. "What do you mean, Luke?" Dave asks, raising an eyebrow at Alvez.

"I... thought they always were together?" Luke says, blinking slowly. "I thought we all knew and accepted but it was just one of those things that never came up," he elaborates as he tries to figure out why everyone was so confused. "Did you guys not know?"

"How long have you known, newbie?" Penelope asks with her gaze narrowed suspiciously at Alvez.

"Since I started...?" he admits, frown slowly easing as the cause of their confusion suddenly dawns on him.

Tara, Matt and Rossi all laugh at this confession, Garcia's mouth dropping open in shock. "Oh, that is not even _remotely_ fair!"

"Wait, was I the first person to know about them?" Luke asks, a slow understanding smile forming on his face.

"And here everyone thought you would be the last one to know," Dave teases.

"How did you even find out about them, Luke?" Tara asks, her eyes shining in amusement.

Alvez smirks, now looking a bit smug about this situation, about being the first one to know of the two women before anyone else on his team, shrugs casually. "You know, I think I'll keep that bit of information to myself."


	6. Alvez

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> surprise luke knew all along (consider it a prequel x)
> 
> absolute crack fic tbh

It's 8:00 on a Tuesday morning when Luke Alvez pulls his car into the parking garage of the FBI unit located in Quantico, Virginia. He knows he's early from the amount of spare spots he sees as he drives up to the third floor. He parks in a far corner between a maroon Chevy and shuts his car off. He purposefully showed up more than an hour before he's scheduled to work. He's hoping he can meet with the unit chief of the BAU unit, his future boss, and go over one more time the mechanics of how the team operates and what exactly he's being expected to do.

Pulling the keys out of his ignition, he reaches over into his glove compartment and pulls out the case file he had been faxed over the weekend. It's not a case the team is currently working on, he vaguely remembers the email detailing, but it is a case that was possibly being considered.

It was sent up from Nashville, Tennessee from the local PD. The case contained reports from what seemed be a series of home invasions that escalated into murders in a relatively short period of time. So far the police had no leads and four bodies on their hands.

As he glances over the details of the file and goes over the most vital bits in his head, he hears the distinct chirp of a car door locking. Glancing up from the papers, he sees a blonde and brunette woman walking hand in hand into the building's stairwell.

"Good for them," he thinks to himself with a nod of approval. With the recent passing in legislation allowing same sex couples to marry in the state of Virginia, he's seen more and more same sex couples out in public, holding hands and sharing affection without shame. It gave him a sense of pride; he knows how hard it can be to be yourself sometimes, especially if society so harshly judged you for it.

The fact that these women felt comfortable enough around this building to be themselves without shame was great. It meant that there was a lot less judgement inside the four walls of the building than he had initially thought. With another nod of approval and a small smile, Luke goes back to looking over the case file.

Half an hour later he's on the elevator heading up to the Behavioral Analyst Unit, 9th floor of the federal building. He holds the case file in his hands carefully, his confidence only growing as the numbers on the wall steadily increase.

He steps off the elevator and heads through the glass doors, only slightly surprised to see he's not the only one here. Sitting at her desk is the same blonde from the parking lot, who was sipping on a mug of coffee before she spots him and shoots him a smile. "Hey, how can I help you?"

"Hi, uh, I'm Agent Luke Alvez," he introduces himself with a wide smile, offering out his hand.

The blonde's eyes light up in recognition at his name, standing up and shaking his hand firmly. "Ah, the transfer from Albuquerque?" She adds in, "I'm SSA Jennifer Jareau, but everyone around here calls me JJ."

"That would be me!" he says with a grin. "Nice to meet you, JJ."

"We've heard a lot of things about you," JJ says with a playful smirk.

"All good things, I'd hope," he jokes back.

"We'll be able to tell in due time," JJ teases. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Actually, I just wanted to meet with the unit chief before the day started?" he asks, gesturing to the file.

JJ nods, smiling warmly. "Yeah, of course! Come with me," she says, heading up the small staircase.

He follows her close behind as she stops outside an office, knocking on the doorframe. "Emily, Agent Alvez is here to see you," JJ informs the unit chief.

Peeking into the door around JJ, Luke is surprised to see the same brunette that walked in with JJ sitting behind the desk. But his surprise quickly fades as he focuses back on the details of the file in his hand.

Emily looks up from the paperwork on her desk and shoots the man a warm smile. "Hey, Agent Alvez! I didn't expect you to come in so early."

"I just wanted to go over a few things before the day started, if that's okay," he says, carefully stepping around JJ into the woman's office.

"Of course, have a seat!" Emily assures, shooting JJ a thankful smile, which the blonde responds with a nod and smile of her own before she leaves the two alone.

"SSA Emily Prentiss," Emily introduces herself, standing up from her chair and giving the man's hand a shake. "We're glad to have you here."

"Agent Luke Alvez," he introduces himself once more, smile mirroring the unit chief's. "Glad to be here."

Within a few days, he's integrated smoothly into his new job at the Bureau. He fits in well with the team, and though the paper work is mundane at times, he does look forward to working out in the field again. When he gets the chance to a few weeks later, he feels back in his element, knows that this is exactly where he belongs.

He never talks to anyone about JJ and Emily being a couple; while it makes him happy, he knows it's not his business to talk about. Plus, it seems as if everyone else on the team is silent about it too, never mentioning it, and he figures they all support them the same he does.

Although, he does almost ask about them on a ride home from Las Vegas.

Really, he's not paying attention to the conversation, so he doesn't know what it's about. His mind is on the recent case, about how in terms of everything, it turned out relatively clear cut and dry. The unsub was behind bars, the victim's families all had closure and they were able to save the latest victim before anything could happen to her.

What snaps him from his thoughts is JJ mentioning her sons.

Sitting up with a confused look, mouth open to ask questions before he slams his head off the top of the plane's window with a loud _thump._ "Ow!" he protests instead of asking JJ about how she has kids, rubbing his head with a frown.

"Are you okay, Luke?" Emily asks from the couch opposite of the table, looking somewhat amused and slightly alarmed at the man's reaction.

Rubbing his head with a small groan of pain, his frown deepens as it dawns on him that yes, bisexual people do in fact exist and that he's a complete moron."Yeah, I'm good," he mumbles to the unit chief.

"Don't make her start investing in a bicycle helmet for you, kid," Dave teases from beside him.

"Yeah, yeah," he mutters, turning to JJ. "How old are your boys?"

"Henry's 8 and Michael just turned a year old," the blonde says. "Do you have any kids?"

Luke breathes out a chuckle. "Nah, I just have Roxy. She's my number one girl." After a few teasing looks from Dave and Tara, he elaborates, "She's my dog."

"Don't let Garcia know you have a dog," Emily jokes. "I got Sergio and no less than two days later, she got him a whole wardrobe of outfits I'm still finding around the house."

"She spoils the boys too," JJ says, shaking her head. "It's how she is. She just wants to spoil all our children, human and non, rotten."

"Yeah, she's pretty great at it," Emily teases. "Wouldn't expect anything less from her."

"She's great," the blonde says with a fond smile. "Henry absolutely _adores_ her. He always asks—" JJ starts to tell, Emily, Rossi and Tara becoming immersed in the story while Luke observes the group.

Looking at the expression on the unit chief face, almost mirroring JJ's as she talks about her sons, he smirks to himself and lays back in his chair. Yeah, he's definitely happy the two women seem to have a great life with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's done folks!!! this isn't my //best// work because fluff generally isn't my thing to be honest but it was fun to write nonetheless
> 
> I do have some angst in the works but I'm not exactly sure when those will be published but keep an eye out for it and any feedback is welcome and appreciated thank


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